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Australia is a much more homogeneous population than that of the U.S. 93%+ white last I checked. So they are less experienced dealing with other races/cultures.
I think I've been really unlucky because every Australian I've ever met...without exception...has been a racist.
You should go! I think it'd change your views to actually meet the people in their country. They really are very nice people. Sorry to hear that the few you've met have been not so nice, but really, I believe the majority are extremely wonderful .
Once a jolly swagman camped by a Billabong
Under the shade of a Coolabah tree
And he sang as he watched and waited till his billy boiled
"Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me?"
Down come a jumbuck to drink at the water hole
Up jumped a swagman and grabbed him in glee
And he sang as he stowed him away in his tucker bag
"You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me'".
Up rode the Squatter a riding his thoroughbred
Up rode the Trooper - one, two, three
"Where's that jumbuck you've got in your tucker bag?",
"You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me".
But the swagman he up and jumped in the water hole
Drowning himself by the Coolabah tree,
And his ghost may be heard as it sings in the Billabong,
"Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me?"
A.B. (Banjo) Paterson
It's about a Traveller, Who steals a sheep...Gets caught! and then drowns himself in a lake, To avoid getting arrested.
It's actually quite funny.
My favourite Paterson poem, Is "The Man From Ironbark"...About a man who goes to a barbershop, For a shave and then believes that the Barber, Cut his throat.
Last edited by Kangaroofarmer; 04-07-2008 at 09:31 AM..
its good to see that most people think so well of us aussies. im proud to read some of the replies and find that we are not just another dot on the map, but that australians have gained a bit of a name for ourselves! a positive one. reading some of these forums i am astonished and insulted to find out what some percieve us to be.. but for every bad bit of feedback, there are ten good ones! just wanted to say that i am glad that we aussies can be spoken of as we are by most.
I've met and done business with more Australians than I can remember. Every one of them were easy to get along with and generally upbeat. What impressed me most was their honesty. Not a single one of them tried to rip me off! Not one of them lied to me. They were a bit more blunt than the average American which initially threw me off guard and I suppose could be misinterpreted as rudeness by someone overly sensitive.
In many ways, they seemed child-like. No, Not childish, child "like" in their honesty and directness. Pretty refreshing actually. They seem to have the innocence and clarity of a child without the naivety.
If I were to flee America, Australia would be my choice. Not because of the geography or the government, but the people themselves. Sometimes I kick myself for not moving there when I was a young man and they were begging for people to migrate. I looked into it again a couple years ago but I don't have the points. As a middle aged man who's profession isn't on the "A" list, my only chance of residency would be winning the lottery or marrying an Aussie. I considered going back to school and learning one of the preferred fields but by the time I got the degree and the required work experience, I'd be just a couple years away from early retirement age. Oh well. Some days you get the bear and some days it gets you. Any Aussie women out there looking for a fat, lazy, middle-aged American with an 8-year-old son who's already making plans for world domination?
Apparently the accent is ambrosia to American ears. I've noticed that most American women lose their thread when an Aussie opens their mouth. The same is true of American men when a "Sheila" speaks. My knees get weak. I suspect that most Aussies are aware of the impact their accent has and use it to their advantage. My impression could be entirely wrong since nearly all of my dealings with Aussies were on a professional level but I doubt it. I've alway been good at sizing up people quickly and separating the BS from the facts and never got the impression I was being mislead in any way. I also felt they could not be easily tricked. They too seemed to be able to sort through the BS easily. Whether that was a learned trait or not, I don't know.
Aussies are like everyone else, some good, some bad and some indifferent.
I am British, have lived here 3 years and like it. They are certainly not racist but there is a lot of jingoism compared to Europian nations.They do talk up their country rather a lot!.They like to have a go at the 'POMS' (English people) but mostly in a teasing fashion and never resent it if you 'give as good as you get' in return. I think this is due to their Colonial past and a feeling of inferiority, which now they have come of age as a nation is unnecessary.
I read a magazine once which was giving advice to people who were considering emigrating. A question asked was "what are the people like in your home town"? The reply was "Great, friendly and welcoming" . Well, the Aussies are the same the article said. Then another scenario of what are the people like in your town. The answer was, "Well, they're a bit cold, don't open up to strangers and are a bit aloof" Well ,the Aussies are the same the article said!!! A lesson to be learned I think?
I don't think the Aussies are any more laid back than other nationalities,they do like to be thought of as such though.They work hard with long hours,many are obsessed with property prices as elsewhere.The cost of food, petrol, utilities, especially water is rising rapidly as is crime and drug abuse by young people.The health service has it's problems although,unlike America every citizen is covered by medicare and prescription drugs are capped by the government at an affordable amount for most (around A$30 tops).
It is one of the safest, most stable countries in the world, has a great climate for the most part and I think a bright future.It has a huge amount of natural resources to aid the economy over decades to come.It is still a relatively small country with regard to population(21 million) but plays it part in world affairs and responsibilities with regards to economic aid and refugees etc.
To sum it up. I like Aussies and Australia-----not too sure about the accent though!!!!!!
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